Roller Cover Segmentation for Thermal Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rollers used in the production of synthetic strand materials pose a safety risk to operators due to the need for additional protective measures to avoid contact with rotating ends, which complicates the handling and thermal treatment process.

Innovation Solution

The roller's cover is designed to be freely rotatable and decoupled from the drive of the roller shell, with a cover carrier providing stability and thermal insulation to allow safe contact without additional protective measures, using a bearing journal and thermal insulation materials to manage heat transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the cover is fixedly connected to the roller shell, then the closure stability is improved, but the safety risk increases due to forced rotation of the cover

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclosure stabilityVSAvoidsafety risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cover connection is segmented into two independent functions: the cover carrier is fixedly connected to the roller shell for stable closure, while the cover itself is freely rotatable on the cover carrier to eliminate forced rotation. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the stabilization function from the rotation function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover carrier acts as an intermediary component between the roller shell and the cover. It provides a stable mounting point on the roller shell while allowing the cover to rotate freely, thus mediating between the need for closure stability and the need to eliminate forced rotation for safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If additional shields are added to protect operators, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator safetyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful effect of forced rotation is extracted from the cover by decoupling it from the drive mechanism. The cover is taken out of the forced rotation system and allowed to rotate freely, eliminating the need for additional protective shields and reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The potential harm of cover rotation is converted into a benefit by allowing free rotation. This eliminates the need for additional shields while maintaining safety, as the cover can rotate without being forced, thus converting a potential hazard into a safety feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the cover is decoupled from the drive, then the safety is improved, but the closure stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidclosure stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The connection system is segmented into the cover carrier (fixed to roller shell) and the cover (freely rotatable on cover carrier). This segmentation maintains closure stability through the fixed cover carrier while improving safety by allowing the cover to rotate freely without being driven.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover carrier serves as an intermediary that maintains stable closure while allowing free rotation of the cover. It mediates between the need for closure stability and the need for safety by providing a fixed mounting point that does not transmit rotational force to the cover.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enhances safety by eliminating the need for additional shields and allows operators to contact the roller's free ends directly, while maintaining thermal treatment effectiveness and stability, even at high speeds and elevated temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

The bearing journal can be mounted here in the cover carrier advantageously by at least one rolling bearing or a plurality of rolling bearings

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRolling bearing: Ball Bearing

Implementation Method 2

the cover at the front end is assigned a thermal insulation on an inner side or outer side. The surface of the cover can thus be held, relative to the heated roller shell, at a temperature level that is not critical to operating staff

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS9932694B2Roller

Publication Date: 2018.04.03 OERLIKON TEXTILE GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

A roller guides and processes synthetic strand material. The roller includes a drivable roller shell. The roller shell has, on a projecting free end thereof, a cover which is effective relative to the surroundings. In order to secure the end of the roller shell relative to an operating side, the cover is freely rotatably connected to the roller shell.